New Year's Kisses
by Ink Splatters 'nd Co
Summary: Hermione finds a red-headed mysterious figure with some interesting expletives in the early hours of the morning in the snowy Grounds of Hogwarts. Written for the Twin Exchange January Challenge.


_New Year's Kisses by Ink Splatters 'nd Co. Entry for the Twin Exchange January Challenge!_

**_Prompt:_**

_Snow_

_**Pairing:**_

_Fred/Hermione_

**_Quote:_**

_"Where's your shirt?"_

**_Theme:_**

_New Years_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, Fred, George or Hogwarts...unfortunately...or Snape or Filch...fortunately.**

* * *

Hermione had always loved snow, the beauty of it as it settled on the tree branches and blanketed the ground in a smooth layer of white icing. She loved the way she had to wrap up warm in big coats and a thousand scarves. She loved the soft crunch it made as you walked on it.

However, what she _didn't_ love was large clumps of the powdery wetness to be thrown in her face, or at her at all. She _didn't_ love the way that people would stuff it down the back of your t-shirt, effectively making you very wet and very cold.

That was why Hermione Granger had hurriedly pulled coat, scarf, gloves, hat and numerous jumpers on, ready to sneak outside into Hogwarts Grounds, when she'd woken up at five in the morning to get a drink. To be the first to enjoy the fluffy flakes of snow tumbling from the sky. To be the first to leave footprints in the soft layer of white settling on the ground.

She was stood there, arms crossed and revelling in the beauty of it when she heard the distant voice of: "Merlin's pants. Oh bloody hell. Merlin's pants!"

She looked around for the source of the voice, finally spying a figure not too far away. She couldn't tell who it was in the early morning darkness. Though, after a while of watching the person dance around madly, Hermione realised the crop of flaming red hair atop the mysterious figure. _Probably a Weasley then._ She thought. _One of the twins no doubt._

She planned to stay where she was and ignore the red-haired loony and continue to enjoy her surroundings. However, curiosity got the better of her.

She walked towards them, slowly and squinting her eyes, trying to work out who it was. As she got closer she realised two things. One, she was correct in thinking it was a Weasley twin. Two, they weren't wearing a shirt and had only a pair of jeans and mismatching socks on.

"For the love of Hermione Granger's vast book collection!" Cried the twin as an expletive. Hermione was hit with a mad urge to laugh and scoff at these words.

"Excuse me!" She called out and he turned, noticing her for the first time.

"Oh pants. Hello Hermione." His teeth were chattering violently and he had his arms clutched over his bare chest.

"What are you _doing _out here?" She asked in a tone that obviously questioned his sanity.

"Well…err…you see…eh… I was just…going for a walk." He spluttered. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Where's your shirt?"

"My shirt?" He looked down at his bare chest, as though he'd forgotten he hadn't been wearing one. "Oh my shirt…well…I didn't want to deny any bystanders the pleasure of seeing my rather gorgeous (if I do say so myself) half-naked self." He winked.

"Fred, George, whoever the hell you are, either tell me the truth or go away." Glared Hermione.

"Aww Hermione! I'm wounded!" He clutched his hand to his heart. "You've known me for how long now? And you still don't know who I am!"

"It's not my fault! You two look practically the same!"

"Guess."

"What?"

"Guess which one I am."

Hermione tilted her head slightly and stared at his face. He was quite nice looking actually…with his soft red hair and straight nose…he had a nice jaw as well… Hermione shook her head slightly. No. She was just tired. Her brain was just a bit confused.

"Errrm…Fred?" Well it was a 50/50 chance.

"That's my name, don't wear it out!"

Hermione grinned. "Now will you tell me what you're doing out here, with no shirt on?"

"Eh…no."

"Why not?!" Hermione faked a look of hurt.

"Because I want to protect my manliness."

"I won't tell anyone…" She smiled innocently. Fred narrowed his eyes. "Promise!"

He sighed. "Well, we (we being George and I) were in the dormitory, devising our little 'Happy New Year' pra- I mean plan." Hermione snorted. "When…erm…well…I fell out of the window." Hermione stared at Fred incredulously then burst into a fit of laughter. "It's not funny!" Pouted Fred.

"H-how-" She tried to say, but could get the words out.

Finally she seemed to calm down a bit. She looked into Fred's scowling face. "How did you fall out the window?" She giggled.

"It's George's fault! The git. He set off a firework that we were going to use for the, erm, plan and shouted 'Get back!' and pushed me out the way. And erm…the window was open…" He mumbled.

That started Hermione off again. She clutched her stomach as she tried to take deep breaths.

"Are you okay?" She asked, the concern was a bit marred through all the laughter.

"Yeah, I just performed a shield charm before I hit the ground."

"Oh Fred." She giggled.

"And now I'm bloody freezing." He shivered, as if to prove his point.

"Well, let's go inside then. Why didn't you go in earlier?"

"Cos I saw Snape by the front doors. And usually I would have no fear in marching passed him and give him a cheery greeting. But this isn't a very dignified look. And I'd rather not explain to his Oh-Greasy-Ness why I was outside with nothing on my upper half."

Fighting the urge to start laughing again she took her coat off.

"What are you doing?" Asked Fred, slightly alarmed that she had started stripping.

"Giving you my coat." She explained, holding it out to him.

"I can't take your coat! That wouldn't be very chivalrous of me would it?"

"Goodness Fred, since when have you been chivalrous?"

"Ahh… 'bout five minutes…" He winked.

"Are you going to take my coat or not? It's a bit big for me anyway, so it should fit you and it's okay, I have about six jumpers on, so I won't be cold."

Reluctantly but thankfully he took the coat and put it on. He was still shivering, so Hermione took off her scarf and wound it round Fred's neck, her fingers brushing against the cold skin of his neck. She looked up into his eyes, realising for the first time how the brown of his irises had flecks of green in them. They stood like that for a while longer, just staring into each other's eyes, until Hermione cleared her throat quietly.

"Should we…go inside now?"

"Yeah, George will be wondering where I am…" He muttered. "Well…ready to laugh at me when I return anyway."

"Come on." She grinned, holding out her hand, silently willing him to take it. He did. "Fred! Your hands are freezing!"

"I wonder why that is." Muttered Fred sourly. They checked the coast was clear before sneaking through the front doors and up the staircase.

The sound of footsteps and an unmistakable meow caused Hermione to look at Fred, slightly panicky. Fred pressed a finger to his lips and pulled her behind a tapestry. To Hermione's amazement they were in a thin corridor.

"I didn't know this was here!" Gasped Hermione.

"Shhh!" Said Fred, gesturing to the tapestry, where from behind it could be heard the low, muttering voice of Filch. They stayed silent until they were sure he had gone.

"So where does this corridor lead?" Asked Hermione curiously.

"To just outside the Room of Requirement, you know, behind that painting with the trolls doing ballet?" he grinned mischievously. Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"But that paintings not that big…you'd have to crawl to get through a gap that size."

"Yeah, can be a pain sometimes. But hey, a shortcut's a shortcut." Hermione suddenly realised how _close_ they were. If Fred bent down they would practically be face to face. She felt her cheeks heat up with an unwanted blush. She hoped Fred wouldn't notice.

Fred looked down at her and, to her surprise, he lifted his hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"You're blushing." Fred murmured, stating the obvious. Hermione didn't try to deny, nor made up some excuse.

"So are you." She giggled, noticing the pink tinge on his cheeks.

"What? No!" He gasped, covering his face with his hands. "I'm Fred Weasley! I _never_ blush!"

"Hmm, now the question is; _why_ are you blushing." Pondered Hermione, amused.

"I'm cold!"

"It's warmer than outside and you weren't blushing then!"

"I'm ill!"

Hermione felt his forehead. "Nope, no temperature."

"I love you!"

"Well…wait…what? You…you…" She spluttered. Not believing her ears. Fred was now tomato red. Hermione took a deep breath. "What did you say?"

"Nothing." Fred looked down at his feet.

"No, really, what did you say?" Persisted Hermione.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything…what did you think I said?"

"You…you love…me?" Said Hermione quietly.

"So what if I do? I mean…there's nothing you can do about it, technically, apart from going round telling everyone, and George already knows and I don't think anyone else would care about-" Fred was cut off mid-ramble by Hermione standing on tiptoes and pressing her lips to his still cold ones.

Fred stood there in frozen shock, eyes wide, mouth un-responding. But after about three seconds his lips started moving with Hermione's and he gently cupped her face between his hands.

They broke apart, panting.

"Hermione?" Fred whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Happy New Year."

"Fred?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"Love you to 'Mione."


End file.
